CONSOLIDATION (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Goodwill	$ 143,755	$ 143,724
Total assets	5,718,103	5,829,712
Liabilities
Total liabilities	4,540,485	4,452,450
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016)	298,761	298,761
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Partners' Capital (81,307,431 units and 80,814,732 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and at December 31, 2016, respectively)	238,212	301,790
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,738)	(8,939)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P	230,474	292,851
Total equity	1,177,618	1,377,262
Total liabilities, non-controlling interests and equity	$ 5,718,103	$ 5,829,712
Preferred equity, units issued (in units)	12,400,000	12,400,000
Preferred equity, units outstanding (in units)	12,400,000	12,400,000
Partners' Capital units issued (in units)	81,307,431	80,814,732
Partners' Capital units outstanding (in units)	81,307,431	80,814,732
Reportable legal entity
Assets
Total assets	$ 3,812,093
Liabilities
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016)	298,761	$ 298,761
Eliminations
Assets
Total assets	(177,961)	(168,390)
Liabilities
Total liabilities	(44,642)	(44,744)
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016)	0	0
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Total equity	(133,319)	(123,646)
Total liabilities, non-controlling interests and equity	(177,961)	(168,390)
Ares Management L.P
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	103,989	342,861	$ 109,934	$ 121,483
Investments, at fair value	488,480	468,471
Performance fees receivable	809,008	759,099
Due from affiliates	180,907	162,936
Deferred tax asset, net	43,929	6,731
Other assets	82,902	65,565
Intangible assets, net	53,040	58,315
Goodwill	143,755	143,724
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	78,788	83,336
Accrued compensation	56,256	131,736
Due to affiliates	20,767	17,564
Performance fee compensation payable	631,460	598,050
Debt obligations	488,221	305,784
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Partners' Capital (81,307,431 units and 80,814,732 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and at December 31, 2016, respectively)	238,212	301,790
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,738)	(8,939)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P	230,474	292,851
Investments, at fair value	467,918	448,336
Ares Management L.P | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	103,989	342,861
Investments, at fair value	652,684	622,215
Performance fees receivable	816,786	767,429
Due from affiliates	186,886	169,252
Deferred tax asset, net	43,929	6,731
Other assets	82,902	65,565
Intangible assets, net	53,040	58,315
Goodwill	143,755	143,724
Total assets	2,083,971	2,176,092
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	78,788	83,336
Accrued compensation	56,256	131,736
Due to affiliates	21,075	17,959
Performance fee compensation payable	631,460	598,050
Debt obligations	488,221	305,784
Total liabilities	1,275,800	1,136,865
Commitments and contingencies
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Partners' Capital (81,307,431 units and 80,814,732 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and at December 31, 2016, respectively)	238,212	301,790
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,738)	(8,939)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P	230,474	292,851
Total equity	808,171	1,039,227
Total liabilities, non-controlling interests and equity	2,083,971	2,176,092
Ares Management L.P | Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Investments, at fair value	(164,204)	(153,744)
Performance fees receivable	(7,778)	(8,330)
Due from affiliates	(5,979)	(6,316)
Deferred tax asset, net	0	0
Other assets	0
Intangible assets, net	0
Goodwill	0
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	0
Accrued compensation	0
Due to affiliates	(308)	(395)
Performance fee compensation payable	0
Debt obligations	0
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Partners' Capital (81,307,431 units and 80,814,732 units issued and outstanding at March 31, 2017 and at December 31, 2016, respectively)	0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	0
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P	0	0
Consolidated Funds
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	346,312	455,280
Investments, at fair value	3,405,891	3,330,203
Due from affiliates	2,880	3,592
Other assets	3,648	2,501
Dividends and interest receivable	7,426	8,479
Receivable for securities sold	45,936	21,955
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	29,852	21,056
Due to affiliates	0	0
Payable for securities purchased	211,001	208,742
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	2,975,484	3,031,112
Fund borrowings	48,656	55,070
Non-controlling interest	369,447	338,035
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Investments, at fair value	3,405,891	3,330,203
Consolidated Funds | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	346,312	455,280
Investments, at fair value	3,405,891	3,330,203
Due from affiliates	2,880	3,592
Other assets	3,648	2,501
Dividends and interest receivable	7,426	8,479
Receivable for securities sold	45,936	21,955
Total assets		3,822,010
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	29,852	21,056
Due to affiliates	8,791	10,599
Payable for securities purchased	211,001	208,742
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	3,011,027	3,064,862
Fund borrowings	48,656	55,070
Total liabilities	3,309,327	3,360,329
Commitments and contingencies
Non-controlling interest	502,766	461,681
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P. :
Total equity	502,766	461,681
Total liabilities, non-controlling interests and equity	3,812,093	3,822,010
Consolidated Funds | Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Investments, at fair value	0
Due from affiliates	0
Other assets	0
Dividends and interest receivable	0
Receivable for securities sold	0
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	0
Due to affiliates	(8,791)	(10,599)
Payable for securities purchased	0	0
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	(35,543)	(33,750)
Fund borrowings	0	0
Non-controlling interest	(133,319)	(123,646)
AOG
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest	278,936	447,615
AOG | Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest	$ 278,936	$ 447,615