Any MP3 player recommendations?

I genuinely didn’t know MP3 players were still a thing.  I think the challenges with quality that you allude to are because they are probably considered a dying item.  Why would I need an MP3 player when I have a phone that goes everywhere with me and can host virtually every song I could ever want, and I can still use same phone for multiple other daily life transactions?

Hey Morpheus, I have used mp3 players extensively over the years and have found Sandisk players to be of really good quality. I have two of them and the first one is more than fifteen years old and still works perfectly. I used to use them at work and they took a bit of hammer there and still survived. The micro-SD slots also work fine. My problem was always trying to find headphones that would last. I don't have a smartphone, so I do sometimes get some use out of them, although I tend to use my Amazon Fire tablet and download off Spotify when away from home. I do however use USB drives in the car as the car stereo has a USB port. I know, what a Luddite, eh?!