Media picks of the week: Ed Sheeran, I Am Divine, Console Wars and more!

June 24, 2014

Every week Apple adds tons of new media content on iTunes — music, books, movies and more. It's impossible to keep up with all of it, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are! This week we've got folk/soul

x (Deluxe Edition) - Ed Sheeran

x — pronounced multiply — is Ed Sheeran's new album. You might remember Sheeran from his electric performances on Saturday Night Live this past season, when he debuted the hip hop-inflected Don't and his foot-tapping single Sing. Sheeran's combination of folk, soul and pop is something special.

$12.99 - Download now

while(1<2) - deadmau5

If you like electronic or dance music, deadmau5 never disappoints. Right now you can grab his brand spanking new album on iTunes as an exclusive early release. From one of the most amazing DJs in the world, while(1<2) stays true to the deadmau5 sound. Anyone who's a fan will love the new album just as much as his old ones.

$12.99 - Download Now

Crossbones, Season 1

John Malkovich takes a turn as Blackbeard, the dread pirate, who reins over a rogue island nation of criminals in the 18th century Caribbean. It's fun to watch Malkovich ham it up in such a legendary role. There's a free sneak peek to get you started, if you haven't seen it yet.

$19.99 - Download now

I Am Divine

Divine, born Harris Glenn Milstead: Often the muse of filmmaker John Waters, the outrageous drag queen Divine shocked and amazed audiences in the early 70s then shot to international fame with movies like Hairspray. The story of Divine's life, from childhood through to his death, and his cultural impact since then.

Rent it for a buck, or buy it for $9.99

$0.99 - Download now

Console Wars

If you lived through the 90s, you were probably aware of the fierce rivalry that existed between Nintendo and Sega. Between Nintendo's Super Nintendo console and Sega's Genesis, both companies vied for control of the 16-bit video game market. Now read the story behind Sega's rise as a gaming superpower.

$14.99 - Download now

The Swift Programming Language

Apple's tour of its new programming language, which it's encouraging iOS and OS X developers alike to begin to use once both operating systems ship later this year. Apple wants developers to think of this as a clean slate for best programming practices going forward. This reference guide is squarely aimed at programmers, but that doesn't mean you can't look it over yourself. After all, it's free.