I have often thought as someone whose transcribed music for my own uses over several decades now, and went on to write my own tunes, that we often overlook in mainstream music these days the use of the melody, and specifically the importance of the single melodic line; particularly solo line on its own.
There can be the habit of forgetting the beautiful simplicity of a tune, unadorned, in its Own right,
and when played with the space around it unimpeded by chords.
Not to say by that meaning harmonising is unpleasant in itself, but to sometimes let go of the bunches of notes, and contrast suddenly with pure unfettered single melody alone; it can also be quite effective in itself.
In folk tradition there's loads of pure tunes, of course, showing how universal and timeless the single line can work. I wonder how everyone else thinks about this subject?