Or 8-track, which has about the same resolution as a typical commercial
MP3.

8 Track was 1/4" tape at 3 IPS. That was pretty much the state of the art in
the 60s. The bad reputation came from cheap players and substandard cartridges.
If you use a real Lear cartridge in a quality machine it was as good as the
open reel machines. RIAA jammed cassettes down our throat because the media was
cheaper and they could make more profit.