Top 10 Focus Songs

Continuing with our progressive rock series, we turn to yet another great progressive rock band that was formed in 1969. The band Focus was formed in the city of Amsterdam. Thijs van Leer.  was responsible for forming the band in 1969.  The band Focus released their debut album in 1970 entitled In and Out of Focus. At time of release the band consisted of Thijs van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Martin Dresden and Hans Cleuver. The follow up album to In and Out Of Focus was released a year later in 1971. The album entitled Moving Waves featured the departure of Martin Dresden and Hans Cleuver and the arrival of new band members Cyril Havermans on bass and Pierre van der Linden. The album featured the hit single “Hocus Pocus”

Like so many progressive rock bands, Focus released a steady stream of records throughout the 1970’s. The change in music at the end of the decade seemed to have an effect on progressive rock bands. The success of bands like The Ramones, Blondie and The Sex Pistols seemed to turn attention away from progressive rock to the sounds of punk and new wave. Many progressive rock bands broke up in the late 1970’s but returned temporarily in the mid 80’s or 90. Focus released seventeen studio albums from 1970 to 2017. Interestingly, five of those albums were released in the 2000’s.

# 10 – Tommy

We open up our top 10 Focus songs list with the great guitar driven track Tommy. The song was released on the band’s second album Moving Pictures. The piece Tommy is actually a section of the suite Eruption.

# 9 – Bennie Helder

The track “Bennie Helder,” was released on the band’s album Mother Focus. The record was released in 1975.

# 8 – Brother

The beautiful song Brother was released on the band’s sixth album entitled Focus con Proby. The album was released in 1978. The album also featured Journey’s Steve Smith on drums.

# 7 – Focus 10

We just love the guitar work on this great track released on the band’s tenth album Focus X. The great record was released in 2012.

# 6 – Happy Nightmare

The cool tune “Happy Nightmare,” appeared on the band’s debut album in 1970. We love the groove n this one. One of our favorite Focus songs of all time.

# 5 -Sylvia

The great Focus track “Sylvia,” was one of the band’s most popular songs. The track was released on the band’s third album.

# 4 – Hamburger Concerto

The Hamburger Concerto suite was released in the band’s forth album Hamburger Concerto. The piece of music filled the entire second side of the album.

# 3 -Round Goes The Gossip

The great track “Round Goes The Gossip,” was issued in the band’s third album Focus 3. The song was the album’s opening track.

# 2 – House of the King

“House of the King,” was also released on the band’s third album entitled appropriately Focus 3. The album was released in 1972. It was a two record set.

# 1 –  Hocus Pocus

It’s possible you may not know the band Focus, but if you have been alive since the 60’s or 70’s, chances are you heard this classic song. “Hocus Pocus,” was the bands biggest hit of their career. It is sequentially their signature song. It was released on their second album Moving Pictures in 1971.