I've done something similar, for myself. I have a Tangara [1], which despite being quirky and expensive, I really love. It has an SD card slot, and while SD cards aren't as cheap as NFC tags, you can get hundreds from AliExpress for $1 each. I put one or two albums or a short mixtape on each one, and make a label for it myself. I don't use streaming services anyway, but now, instead of having music on my phone, I have a big box of SD cards I can physically arrange, choose from, and take with me. It also means that notification sounds never intrude on my listening experience.
1: https://cooltech.zone/tangara/