Just by way of example - "small" artist example only - the artist using that CD Baby distribution company MUST have the rights to the CD and every track on it. The company was formed for "independents," and there's legalese in the dig. distribution contract concerning those artist rights.

I certainly cannot speak of the larger, more famous and popular artists. I don't know what kind of a deal they do or don't get. I think it's fair to assume that the larger the company an artist is signed with, the smaller the profit the artist gets on any individual sale. But I have no numbers to back that up.