CONSOLIDATION (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Investments, at fair value		$ 1,724,571
Other assets		130,341
Goodwill	$ 143,848	143,895
Total assets	10,144,735	8,563,522
Liabilities
Total liabilities	8,609,486	7,103,230
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	298,761	298,761
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (98,398,340 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	349,981	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(6,758)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	343,223	274,857
Total equity	1,535,249	1,460,292
Total liabilities and equity	$ 10,144,735	$ 8,563,522
Preferred equity, shares issued (in shares)	12,400,000	12,400,000
Preferred equity, shares outstanding (in shares)	12,400,000	12,400,000
Partners' Capital shares issued (in shares)	98,398,340	82,280,033
Partners' Capital shares outstanding (in shares)	98,398,340	82,280,033
Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	$ 298,761	$ 298,761
Eliminations
Assets
Total assets	(197,172)	(186,904)
Liabilities
Total liabilities	(17,645)	(22,201)
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	0	0
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total equity	(179,527)	(164,703)
Total liabilities and equity	(197,172)	(186,904)
Consolidated Funds
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	836,274	556,500
Investments, at fair value	6,968,067	5,582,842
Due from affiliates	13,704	15,884
Other assets	1,197	1,989
Dividends and interest receivable	14,634	12,568
Receivable for securities sold	225,764	61,462
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	69,040	64,316
Due to affiliates	0	0
Payable for securities purchased	744,534	350,145
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	6,333,239	4,963,194
Fund borrowings	138,438	138,198
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	577,217	528,488
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total investments	6,968,067	5,582,842
Consolidated Funds | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	836,274	556,500
Investments, at fair value	6,968,067	5,582,842
Due from affiliates	13,704	15,884
Other assets	1,197	1,989
Dividends and interest receivable	14,634	12,568
Receivable for securities sold	225,764	61,462
Total assets	8,059,640	6,231,245
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	69,040	64,316
Due to affiliates	6,772	11,285
Payable for securities purchased	744,534	350,145
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	6,344,112	4,974,110
Fund borrowings	138,438	138,198
Total liabilities	7,302,896	5,538,054
Commitments and contingencies
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	756,744	693,191
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total equity	756,744	693,191
Total liabilities and equity	8,059,640	6,231,245
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	(6,772)	(11,285)
Payable for securities purchased	0	0
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	(10,873)	(10,916)
Fund borrowings	0	0
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	(179,527)	(164,703)
AOG
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	316,048	358,186
AOG | Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	316,048	358,186
Ares Management L.P
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	125,448	118,929	$ 137,256	$ 342,861
Investments, at fair value	1,466,247	1,724,571
Due from affiliates	172,428	165,750
Deferred tax asset, net	42,942	8,326
Other assets	100,183	130,341
Intangible assets, net	33,999	40,465
Goodwill	143,848	143,895
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	73,227	81,955
Accrued compensation	87,254	27,978
Due to affiliates	62,344	39,184
Performance related compensation payable	730,782	822,084
Debt obligations	370,628	616,176
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (98,398,340 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	349,981	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(6,758)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	343,223	274,857
Total investments	108,820	277,561
Ares Management L.P | Accrued Interest
Assets
Investments, at fair value	985,035	1,077,236
Ares Management L.P | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	125,448	118,929
Investments, at fair value	1,656,647	1,900,191
Due from affiliates	179,200	171,701
Deferred tax asset, net	42,942	8,326
Other assets	100,183	135,674
Intangible assets, net	33,999	40,465
Goodwill	143,848	143,895
Total assets	2,282,267	2,519,181
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	73,227	81,955
Accrued compensation	87,254	27,978
Due to affiliates	62,344	39,184
Performance related compensation payable	730,782	822,084
Debt obligations	370,628	616,176
Total liabilities	1,324,235	1,587,377
Commitments and contingencies
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (98,398,340 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	349,981	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(6,758)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	343,223	274,857
Total equity	958,032	931,804
Total liabilities and equity	2,282,267	2,519,181
Ares Management L.P | Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Investments, at fair value	(190,400)	(175,620)
Due from affiliates	(6,772)	(5,951)
Deferred tax asset, net	0	0
Other assets	0	(5,333)
Intangible assets, net	0
Goodwill	0
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	0
Accrued compensation	0
Due to affiliates	0
Performance related compensation payable	0
Debt obligations	0
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (98,398,340 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	0
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	$ 0	$ 0