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.