CONSOLIDATION (Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Assets
Investments, at fair value		$ 1,724,571
Other assets		130,341
Goodwill	$ 143,827	143,895
Total assets	10,421,600	8,563,522
Liabilities
Total liabilities	8,930,281	7,103,230
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	298,761	298,761
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (101,489,282 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	301,721	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,403)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	294,318	274,857
Total equity	1,491,319	1,460,292
Total liabilities and equity	$ 10,421,600	$ 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)	101,489,282	82,280,033
Partners' Capital shares outstanding (in shares)	101,489,282	82,280,033
Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	$ 298,761	$ 298,761
Eliminations
Assets
Total assets	(198,313)	(186,904)
Liabilities
Total liabilities	(21,221)	(22,201)
Commitments and contingencies
Preferred equity (12,400,000 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	0	0
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total equity	(177,092)	(164,703)
Total liabilities and equity	(198,313)	(186,904)
Consolidated Funds
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	760,581	556,500
Investments, at fair value	7,515,383	5,582,842
Due from affiliates	14,658	15,884
Other assets	1,894	1,989
Dividends and interest receivable	16,534	12,568
Receivable for securities sold	95,490	61,462
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	77,752	64,316
Due to affiliates	0	0
Payable for securities purchased	531,615	350,145
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	6,884,696	4,963,194
Fund borrowings	133,744	138,198
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	578,420	528,488
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total investments	7,515,383	5,582,842
Consolidated Funds | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	760,581	556,500
Investments, at fair value	7,515,383	5,582,842
Due from affiliates	14,658	15,884
Other assets	1,894	1,989
Dividends and interest receivable	16,534	12,568
Receivable for securities sold	95,490	61,462
Total assets	8,404,540	6,231,245
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	77,752	64,316
Due to affiliates	7,997	11,285
Payable for securities purchased	531,615	350,145
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	6,897,920	4,974,110
Fund borrowings	133,744	138,198
Total liabilities	7,649,028	5,538,054
Commitments and contingencies
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	755,512	693,191
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Total equity	755,512	693,191
Total liabilities and equity	8,404,540	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	(7,997)	(11,285)
Payable for securities purchased	0	0
CLO loan obligations, at fair value	(13,224)	(10,916)
Fund borrowings	0	0
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	(177,092)	(164,703)
AOG
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	319,820	358,186
AOG | Reportable legal entity
Liabilities
Non-controlling interest in Ares Operating Group entities	319,820	358,186
Ares Management L.P
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	122,192	118,929	$ 186,437	$ 342,861
Investments, at fair value	1,415,648	1,724,571
Due from affiliates	183,986	165,750
Deferred tax asset, net	16,240	8,326
Other assets	102,411	130,341
Intangible assets, net	32,756	40,465
Goodwill	143,827	143,895
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	76,648	81,955
Accrued compensation	127,481	27,978
Due to affiliates	59,456	39,184
Performance related compensation payable	688,100	822,084
Debt obligations	350,789	616,176
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (101,489,282 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	301,721	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,403)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	294,318	274,857
Total investments	116,290	277,561
Ares Management L.P | Accrued Interest
Assets
Investments, at fair value	947,267	1,077,236
Ares Management L.P | Reportable legal entity
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	122,192	118,929
Investments, at fair value	1,605,964	1,900,191
Due from affiliates	191,983	171,701
Deferred tax asset, net	16,240	8,326
Other assets	102,411	135,674
Intangible assets, net	32,756	40,465
Goodwill	143,827	143,895
Total assets	2,215,373	2,519,181
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	76,648	81,955
Accrued compensation	127,481	27,978
Due to affiliates	59,456	39,184
Performance related compensation payable	688,100	822,084
Debt obligations	350,789	616,176
Total liabilities	1,302,474	1,587,377
Commitments and contingencies
Controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.:
Shareholders' equity (101,489,282 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2018 and at December 31, 2017, respectively)	301,721	279,065
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(7,403)	(4,208)
Total controlling interest in Ares Management, L.P.	294,318	274,857
Total equity	912,899	931,804
Total liabilities and equity	2,215,373	2,519,181
Ares Management L.P | Eliminations
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	0
Investments, at fair value	(190,316)	(175,620)
Due from affiliates	(7,997)	(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 (101,489,282 shares and 82,280,033 shares issued and outstanding at September 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