A former Boston University student who was ordered to pay $US675,000 for illegally downloading and sharing 30 songs on the internet says he will continue fighting the penalty, despite the Supreme Court's refusal to hear his appeal.

Joel Tenenbaum, 28, of Providence, Rhode Island, said he's hoping a federal judge will reduce the amount.

Feeling the wrath of the music industry ... Joel Tenenbaum.

"I can't believe the system would uphold a six-figure damages amount for downloading 30 songs on a file-sharing system that everybody used," Tenenbaum said. "I can't believe the court would uphold something that ludicrous."

A jury in 2009 ordered Tenenbaum to pay $US675,000, or $US22,500 per song, after the Recording Industry Association of America sued him on behalf of four record labels, including Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Brothers Records.