I think your memory is correct. I have all the old order details for CDs from 20 years ago and they've definitely got cheaper. I also have my old gig tickets from back then (I kept them despite some being a bit sweaty), and gigs have definitely gone up in price, maybe even 2 or 3 times the amount.

I am not sure recordings should be seen as the marketing for live performance though - what about bands in another country? They will never tour here. And I will never get to see The Beatles...

Also, recorded songs can sound very different to live songs, hence the "thin" nature of some of the live recordings. The ability to create a sonic soundscape on a recording is what makes it so special.

Recordings should be seen as art you are paying for. Nobody seems to mind buying a painting but objects to spending money on a CD. Baffling.