Brand New Vinyl Static and Pops

You wanted 2 cents? Here is mine. I ultrasonic clean new (manufacturing particles ARE in the grooves. I can hear the difference) and used. If you don’t have an ultrasonic then devise some kind of system of cleaning that leaves a minimum of residue so you can hear what’s in the grooves accurately. Finally, and I know some members will freak, but I clean my stylus after each side of play by lightly dragging a thin strip of magic eraser across it. That dislodges accumulated gunk. I then lightly wipe it with the Onzow zero dust stylus cleaner. I know it sounds like a lot. Some here will dismiss both. I wouldn’t do it if you have shakey hands or god forbid, been drinking or other mischievous behavior. Everybody on here has an opinion. Use your own judgement. This is what I have found consistently works for ME. But I have approximately 900 LPs that I play regularly. I rarely hear clicks and pops using a Microreach stylus on my cartridge. The few LPs that skip were bought used and had legit flaws. Take  care of your LPs and stylus and they will take care of you. 

I agree with a couple of the other comments - clean ALL records in a US cleaner before playing - even new ones - you have no idea what gunk is on there from the pressing process. I am still amazed at the junk on the bottom of my US cleaner after cleaning a bunch of new records, and even records that have already gone through the US cleaner. More stuff comes off. I also clean the stylus before and after each play with an Onzow Zerodust. I may purchase a Furutech device per another comment. My two cents..... thx

I bought MOFI Micheal Jackson Thriller, brand new sealed and when I spin for the first time, Billy Jean and another track skipped many times. When I spin the 2nd time, it skipped lesser, lesser on the 3rd and it spin without skipping when I spin for the 4th times,
New n expensive vinyl can be dirty too, our needle will pick up those dirt and we need to clean the needle.
Some new vinyl give humming sound....This is the world of Vinyl.
Its best to clean every vinyl that come by either with the expensive Ultrasonic cleaner like Degritter/ KLAudio etc or some manual effective cleaning system. I use the cheap "ManualSonic" with  Audio Technica record cleaning kit. Not bad.  
It sound great still.

@jjbeason14 

At a $500 budget buy THE FURURTECH DESTAT lll

You won't be disdappointed

Once the real (for some) issue of static has been successfully addressed, all we are left with here is another cleaning fetishists fest.

@dmk_calgary  Better get all that gunk at the bottom of your US cleaner analysed to check it's not vinyl.