To mark the 24th annual National Coming Out Day, here are five songs that speak directly to coming out, encourage tolerance or could easily be interpreted as pro-gay.

Murs, "Animal Style." 

Beastie Boys, "All Lifestyles." 

Girl in a Coma, "Smart." 

The Replacements, "I Will Dare."

Green Day, "Coming Clean." 

An event like Sept 11, 2001, could not take place without countless artists becoming inspired by the horror, the anger or the deaths of thousands. Eleven years after that sunny Tuesday in New York, 9/11 continues to be the subject of songs, novels and films.

The songs on this list are a mix of saccharine-laced odes (Melissa Etheridge, The Stills, Tori Amos, Beastie Boys) and provocative protest songs (Bloc Party, Sleater-Kinney, Ani DiFranco, Sheryl Crow). If there were a silver lining to the tragedy (although I'm certain victims' families would say there is not), it would be the art that is created in response to trauma.

Melissa Etheridge, "Tuesday Morning."

Leonard Cohen, "On That Day." 

 

Tori Amos, "I Can't See New York." 

 

Bloc Party, "Hunting for Witches." 

 

Gorillaz, featuring D12 & Terry Hall, "911."

 

Beastie Boys, "An Open Letter to NYC." 

 

The Stills, "Let's Roll."

 

Sleater-Kinney, "Far Away." 

 

Sheryl Crow, "Out of Our Heads."

 

Ani DiFranco, "Self-Evident."