CONSOLIDATION - Balance sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Total assets	$ 4,671,604	$ 4,321,408
Liabilities
Total liabilities	3,356,962	3,329,497
Commitments and contingencies
Redeemable interest	23,521	23,505
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at June 30, 2016)	298,971
Controlling interest in Ares Management L.P.:
Total equity	1,291,121	968,406
Total liabilities, redeemable interest, non-controlling interests and equity	$ 4,671,604	$ 4,321,408
Preferred Units, Issued	12,400,000
Units issued (in units)	80,791,108	80,679,600
Units outstanding (in units)	80,791,108	80,697,600
Eliminations.
Assets
Total assets	$ (162,373)	$ (180,222)
Liabilities
Total liabilities	(34,015)	(34,121)
Controlling interest in Ares Management L.P.:
Total equity	(128,358)	(146,101)
Total liabilities, redeemable interest, non-controlling interests and equity	(162,373)	(180,222)
Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Redeemable interest	23,521	23,505
Ares Management L.P.
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	264,588	121,483	$ 101,533	$ 148,858
Investments, at fair value	484,537	468,287
Derivative assets, at fair value	3,366	1,339
Performance fees receivable	626,064	534,661
Due from affiliates	166,039	144,982
Intangible assets, net	70,568	84,971
Goodwill	143,855	144,067
Other assets	65,160	62,975
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	104,617	102,626
Accrued compensation	91,743	125,032
Due to affiliates	19,096	12,901
Performance Fee Compensation Payable	480,979	401,715
Debt obligations	279,430	389,120
Equity Compensation put option liability	20,000	20,000
Deferred tax liability, net	6,628	21,288
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at June 30, 2016)	298,971
Controlling interest in Ares Management L.P.:
Partners' Capital (80,679,600 units issued and outstanding	268,835	251,537
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(8,532)	(4,619)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	260,303	246,918
Ares Management L.P. | Eliminations.
Assets
Investments, at fair value	(152,829)	(167,805)
Performance fees receivable	(6,318)	(7,191)
Due from affiliates	(3,226)	(4,789)
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		(108)
Due to affiliates	(256)	(115)
Ares Management L.P. | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	264,588	121,483
Investments, at fair value	637,366	636,092
Performance fees receivable	632,382	541,852
Due from affiliates	169,265	149,771
Intangible assets, net	70,568	84,971
Goodwill	143,855	144,067
Other assets	65,160	62,975
Total assets	1,983,184	1,741,211
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	104,617	102,734
Accrued compensation	91,743	125,032
Due to affiliates	19,352	13,016
Performance Fee Compensation Payable	480,979	401,715
Debt obligations	279,430	389,120
Equity Compensation put option liability	20,000	20,000
Deferred tax liability, net	6,628	21,288
Total liabilities	1,002,749	1,072,905
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at June 30, 2016)	298,971
Controlling interest in Ares Management L.P.:
Partners' Capital (80,679,600 units issued and outstanding	268,835	251,537
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(8,532)	(4,619)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	260,303	246,918
Total equity	956,914	644,801
Total liabilities, redeemable interest, non-controlling interests and equity	1,983,184	1,741,211
Consolidated Funds
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	233,532	159,507
Investments, at fair value	2,529,173	2,559,783
Derivative assets, at fair value	289
Due from affiliates	10,125	12,923
Dividends and interest receivable	9,545	13,005
Receivable for securities sold	65,384	13,416
Other assets	3,034	1,348
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	10,741	18,951
Payable for securities purchased	162,898	51,778
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	2,168,346	2,174,352
Fund borrowings	12,484	11,734
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds	334,207	320,238
Equity appropriated for Consolidated Funds		3,367
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds	334,207	323,605
Consolidated Funds | Eliminations.
Assets
Due from affiliates		(437)
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		(5)
Due to affiliates	(5,598)	(5,617)
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	(28,161)	(28,276)
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds		(146,101)
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds	(128,358)	(146,101)
Consolidated Funds | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	233,532	159,507
Investments, at fair value	2,529,173	2,559,783
Due from affiliates	10,125	13,360
Dividends and interest receivable	9,545	13,005
Receivable for securities sold	65,384	13,416
Other assets	3,034	1,348
Total assets	2,850,793	2,760,419
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	10,741	18,956
Due to affiliates	5,598	5,617
Payable for securities purchased	162,898	51,778
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	2,196,507	2,202,628
Fund borrowings	12,484	11,734
Total liabilities	2,388,228	2,290,713
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds		466,339
Equity appropriated for Consolidated Funds		3,367
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds	462,565	469,706
Controlling interest in Ares Management L.P.:
Total equity	462,565	469,706
Total liabilities, redeemable interest, non-controlling interests and equity	2,850,793	2,760,419
AOG Units
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds
Non-controlling interest	397,640	397,883
AOG Units | Reportable legal entity
Non-controlling interest in Consolidated Funds
Non-controlling interest	$ 397,640	$ 397,883