WHO recommends cutting music to "an hour a day"

In a new report, they warn that 1.1 billion teens and young adults are at risk of hearing damage by listening to ""too much, too loudly".

It claims that "serious threats" - audio players, bars, concerts - are mostly to blame for 43 million people between 12-35 suffering hearing loss.

Dr Etienne Krug, the WHO's director for injury prevention, said to the BBC that they're trying to "raise awareness of an issue that is not talked about enough, but has the potential to do a lot of damage that can be easily prevented."

He also said that just an hour a day was recommended.

"That's a rough recommendation, it is not by the minute, to give an idea to those spending 10 hours a day listening to an mp3-player... but even an hour can be too much if the volume is too loud."

The WHO recommend that "60%" of maximum is enough on personal devices, and that "listening breaks" are advised at concerts.

Other advice they give includes nightclubs providing "chill-out rooms and give out free ear plugs" and that "headphone manufacturers should set limits on the volume."

Paul Breckell, of the charity Action on Hearing Loss, added: "I urge music lovers to consider the long term risks of listening to loud music from their personal music players over the 85dB safe level, as over exposure can trigger tinnitus, and remember that a good pair of noise cancelling headphones can make all the difference."

Interestingly, the WHO have got a handy list of safe listening times are:

85 dB - the level of noise inside a car - eight hours
90 dB - lawn mower - two hours 30 minutes
95 dB - an average motorcycle - 47 minutes
100 dB - car horn or underground train - 15 minutes
105 dB - mp3 player at maximum volume - four minutes
115 dB - loud rock concert - 28 seconds
120 dB - vuvuzela or sirens - nine seconds

Fortunately Napalm Death could still entertain at a 28-second concert by playing "You Suffer" 14 times.