What's the difference between an album and record of the year Grammy? We explain.

Those vinyl discs lining your shelf – are they a record collection or an album collection?

Does Taylor Swift have 11 hit records or albums?

Did Adele’s “Hello” win record of the year or album of the year in 2017? (Answer: the former.)

The terms have been used interchangeably for decades and it really doesn’t matter for conversational purposes.

But there are distinctions, especially at the Grammy Awards, where, as Meryl Streep and son-in-law/music producer Mark Ronson reminded us last year in their amusing, confusing banter, record and album of the year are very different awards.

First, some background. Go with it as we pontificate and try not to be too annoying with granular details.

What is the difference between a record and an album?

In June 1948, Columbia Records released the first 33 1/3 LP – “long-playing record” – from what is now known as the New York Philharmonic. The 12-inch vinyl slates – as opposed to its predecessor, the 78-rpm made from shellac – played at a faster speed, 33 1/3 revolutions per minutes compared to 78, and could fit about 25 minutes of music on each side.

Hence, the “album” was born.

About a year later, the first 45-rpm arrived – “Texarkana Baby,” by Eddy Arnold for the trivia buffs – as a 7-inch vinyl disc that could only hold one song on each side. The “A” side was typically the hit single and the “B” side another album track or outtake.

Hence, the “record” was born.

These 45s were introduced as a way to spotlight singles and became the product of choice for rock ‘n’ roll fans in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the format used in jukeboxes.

How do the Grammys distinguish a record from an album?

Which is why a record of the year award is presented for a single song and an album of the year Grammy goes to a recording that, according to the Recording Academy’s rules, contains at least five different tracks with a total playing time of 15 minutes or no minimum track requirement but a total playing time of at least 30 minutes.

The record of the year trophy (which, as for every category, is modeled after the first record player, the gramophone, and yes, we are shutting up now) awards a single track. Recognition goes to the artist as well as the producer(s), recording engineer(s), mixer(s) and mastering engineer(s).

So going back to Adele in 2017, “Hello” won record of the year, while “25” earned an album of the year victory.

Shall we now delve into song of the year? Kidding. Just know this: it’s awarded to the songwriter. Simple, right?

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's the difference between record and album awards at the Grammys?