When the Emmy nominations were announced on Thursday morning, the usual suspects led the way: "Six Feet Under" (16), "The West Wing" (15), "The Sopranos" (13) and "Sex and the City" (13). But a number of music specials landed multiple nominations, among them concerts from Cher, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, and the reality smash "American Idol" garnered several nods as well, according to the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Cher's prime-time special "Cher - The Farewell Tour" led the musical pack with six Emmy nominations, including nods in Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, Music Direction, Technical Direction, Lighting Direction and, not surprisingly, Costumes and Hairstyling.

"American Idol" was close behind with five nominations, including the big one, Outstanding Reality/Competition Program, where it will face off against "Survivor," "The Amazing Race" and specials commemorating Bob Hope and the history of film. "Idol" also was nominated in the nonfiction directing, sound, lighting and technical directing categories.

Both Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones had strong showings as well, with the Stones' special "Rolling Stones - Licks World Tour, Live From Madison Square Garden" earning four nominations and Springsteen's "Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band" NBC special taking three. Both the Stones and Springsteen will compete with Cher for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

Other music-related nominations include an editing notice for "Paul McCartney's Back in the U.S." special and a choreography nod for Celine Dion's Vegas extravaganza, "Celine in Las Vegas: Opening Night Live." Though they didn't get a nomination in the reality-series category, "The Osbournes" was recognized in the Outstanding Nonfiction Program (Alternative) race and the makers of the Pepsi Twist commercial featuring the Osbournes/ Osmonds were nominated for Outstanding Commercial.

Hitmaker to the stars Desmond Child (Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin) was nominated for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for the song "Everyone Matters" from the "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie," where he will be competing against "Everybody Hates Ned Flanders," from "The Simpsons" episode "Dude, Where's My Ranch?" VH1's "Behind the Music" was nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction Series.

The 55th annual Emmy Awards will take place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on September 21.