Why do you hear popping when you listen to vinyls?

Idk, probably the irregularities in the ridges? Vynils can get damaged after a while and even skip lanes (or however they're caller the song ridges)

Dust? I love that sound.

Static i guess.. maybe dust on the ridges? Idk

Various reasons. In cheaper pressings of older albums sometimes the pop actually comes from pieces of label paper melted into recycled vinyl.

Not as much as when I was a kid.

if it happens at 2 second intervals probably a scratch:

Scratch on vinyl itself or dusty stylus?

the speakers need dusting,

Because it's a very crappy format.