Was on the RIAA's technology advisory committee that recommended the implementation of Compact Discs as a new medium. Arguing that CDs were the wave of the future, Richards analogized vinyl discs to CDs the same as 8 track tapes were to cassettes. Although the effort met reluctance at retail, Richards helped broker a deal to use oversized packaging to satisfy the concerns of retailers at the reduced size of CDs, resulting in the industry's adoption of the then new technology.
