Kids in the UK each have 8,000 pirated singles on their PCs according to research from University of Hertfordshire. According to its survey 61 per cent of 14 to 24 year-olds use file-sharing networks, with each amassing an average of 8,000 tracks on their computers.

The study was commissioned by UK Music which an umbrella organization representing the interests of various elements of the UK music industry, from artists through to record labels, publishers, producers and collecting societies and counts the BPI among its members. Such surveys conducted on behalf of such bodies before have been about as reliable as asking Pol Pot if Chairman Mao was a nice bloke. It is silly season news wise so we thought we would provide you the information for your amusement.

Of those questioned in the 14 to 24 year old bracket, it was revealed that on average they have amassed music collections on their computers which exceed 8,100 tracks, an amount that most people could never afford. This means that 68 per cent of respondents said that they use their computers every day to listen to music.

From the 1,808 people surveyed, 61 per cent admitted to downloading music using P2P networks including BitTorrent with 83 per cent of these admitted doing so on a weekly or daily basis. A significant 86 per cent admitted that they had copied CDs for their friends. While many admitted uploading using P2P, other methods of sharing were also utilized – 75 per cent admitted to sending music by email, instant messaging services or Bluetooth.

Of those who admitted using P2P to obtain music, 85 per cent said they would welcome an “all you can eat” download service for a fixed monthly fee, but just 57 per cent said that access to such a service would stop them from illegally sharing files.