A US student who faces millions of dollars in fines for illegally swapping music files has admitted that he shared and downloaded hundreds of songs.

Joel Tenenbaum is accused of copyright infringement by four recording labels for sharing tracks by artists such as Nirvana and Green Day.

It is only the second music-downloading case to go to trial in the US.

In the first, single mother Jammie Thomas Rassett of Minnesota was ordered to pay $1.92m for sharing 24 songs.

Mr Tenenbaum is accused of using a computer at his parents’ home and at his college to download and distribute digital files.

Prosecutors working on behalf of the record labels have focused on 30 shared songs.

Under US law, the recording companies are entitled to $750 to $30,000 per infringement. However, the jury can raise the amount to $150,000 per track if it finds the infringements were wilful.

In the Minnesota case, the jury awarded $80,000 per song.

In opening remarks on Tuesday Tenenbaum’s lawyer said he "was a kid who did what kids do and loved technology and loved music".

Recording companies had been slow to adapt to the internet, he added.

But prosecutors argued that file-sharers take a significant toll on the revenues for artists and others involved in music

The recording industry has recently changed its tactics in file sharing cases, preferring to settle quickly for much smaller amounts.

However, cases such as those against Mr Tenenbaum, which were already filed, are proceeding to trial.

The four recording labels involved in the case are subsidiaries of Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony.

The case continues at the US District Court in Boston. </p

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