Yes, they're negatives of the printed LP; they can be played but require a special needle. There was a video where Jack White (of The White Strips) bought an old Elvis master and explained how to play it.
I never really thought about the awards and what they mean in an era where everything would have been digital (and that's a long time now). Of course a lot of artists do commission LPs these days (though has that gone out of fashion? - there was a resurgence there in the 2010's at least) so you can imagine that the masters could be handed out as souvenirs.
I never really thought about the awards and what they mean in an era where everything would have been digital (and that's a long time now). Of course a lot of artists do commission LPs these days (though has that gone out of fashion? - there was a resurgence there in the 2010's at least) so you can imagine that the masters could be handed out as souvenirs.