Cassettes had a bit of a resurgence in the late aughts to 2010s among DIY/punk/indie bands due in part to the widespread availability of cheap (often free) old players, older used cars with tape decks, and cheap four track recording devices.

It would be very common for a new band in that time to have their first release on cassette, and then after they could scrape up the dough, press a vinyl single (CDs being very digitally uncool). There were several niche labels from that time whose bread was buttered with cassette sales.

You're absolutely right the sound quality sucks, but as a child of the '80s whose first music collection was purely cassette based and played back on a Radio Shack cassette dictation player, that sound has a nostalgia for me.