FAIR VALUE (Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Consolidated Funds
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	$ 7,820,298	$ 7,205,248
Common stock and other equity securities	152,026	196,470
Partnership interests	299,157	271,447
Total investments, at fair value	8,271,481	7,673,165
Total derivative assets, at fair value		3,209
Total assets, at fair value	8,272,759	7,676,374
Liabilities, at fair value
Loan obligations of CLOs	(7,407,720)	(6,678,091)
Total liabilities, at fair value	(7,411,533)	(6,680,603)
Consolidated Funds | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	1,042	1,881
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(1,025)
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		(1,864)
Consolidated Funds | Asset swaps - other
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	236	1,328
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(2,788)	(648)
Consolidated Funds | Bonds
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	205,727	318,499
Consolidated Funds | Loans
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	7,614,571	6,886,749
Consolidated Funds | Level I
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	0	0
Common stock and other equity securities	37,185	45,718
Partnership interests	0	0
Total investments, at fair value	37,185	45,718
Total derivative assets, at fair value		0
Total assets, at fair value	37,185	45,718
Liabilities, at fair value
Loan obligations of CLOs	0	0
Total liabilities, at fair value	0	0
Consolidated Funds | Level I | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		0
Consolidated Funds | Level I | Asset swaps - other
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Consolidated Funds | Level I | Bonds
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	0	0
Consolidated Funds | Level I | Loans
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	0	0
Consolidated Funds | Level II
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	7,535,138	6,657,290
Common stock and other equity securities	0	0
Partnership interests	0	0
Total investments, at fair value	7,535,138	6,657,290
Total derivative assets, at fair value		1,881
Total assets, at fair value	7,536,180	6,659,171
Liabilities, at fair value
Loan obligations of CLOs	(7,407,720)	(6,678,091)
Total liabilities, at fair value	(7,408,745)	(6,679,955)
Consolidated Funds | Level II | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	1,042	1,881
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(1,025)
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		(1,864)
Consolidated Funds | Level II | Asset swaps - other
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Consolidated Funds | Level II | Bonds
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	197,204	316,850
Consolidated Funds | Level II | Loans
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	7,337,934	6,340,440
Consolidated Funds | Level III
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	285,160	547,958
Common stock and other equity securities	114,841	150,752
Partnership interests	299,157	271,447
Total investments, at fair value	699,158	970,157
Total derivative assets, at fair value		1,328
Total assets, at fair value	699,394	971,485
Liabilities, at fair value
Loan obligations of CLOs	0	0
Total liabilities, at fair value	(2,788)	(648)
Consolidated Funds | Level III | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		0
Consolidated Funds | Level III | Asset swaps - other
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	236	1,328
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(2,788)	(648)
Consolidated Funds | Level III | Bonds
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	8,523	1,649
Consolidated Funds | Level III | Loans
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	276,637	546,309
Ares Management L.P
Assets, at fair value
Common stock and other equity securities	13,560	11,681
Partnership interests	36,765	36,053
Total investments, at fair value	132,838	108,558
Total assets, at fair value	137,039	109,624
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		(869)
Total liabilities, at fair value	(163)	(869)
Ares Management L.P | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	4,201	1,066
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(163)
Ares Management L.P | Collateralized loan obligations
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	82,513	60,824
Ares Management L.P | Level I
Assets, at fair value
Common stock and other equity securities	128	280
Partnership interests	0	0
Total investments, at fair value	128	280
Total assets, at fair value	128	280
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		0
Total liabilities, at fair value	0	0
Ares Management L.P | Level I | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0
Ares Management L.P | Level I | Collateralized loan obligations
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	0	0
Ares Management L.P | Level II
Assets, at fair value
Common stock and other equity securities	1,035	1,004
Partnership interests	0	0
Total investments, at fair value	1,035	1,004
Total assets, at fair value	5,236	2,070
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		(869)
Total liabilities, at fair value	(163)	(869)
Ares Management L.P | Level II | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	4,201	1,066
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	(163)
Ares Management L.P | Level II | Collateralized loan obligations
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	0	0
Ares Management L.P | Level III
Assets, at fair value
Common stock and other equity securities	12,397	10,397
Partnership interests	35,192	35,192
Total investments, at fair value	130,102	106,413
Total assets, at fair value	130,102	106,413
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivatives—foreign exchange contracts		0
Total liabilities, at fair value	0	0
Ares Management L.P | Level III | Foreign exchange contracts
Assets, at fair value
Total derivative assets, at fair value	0	0
Liabilities, at fair value
Derivative liabilities	0
Ares Management L.P | Level III | Collateralized loan obligations
Assets, at fair value
Collateralized loan obligations and other fixed income	82,513	60,824
Ares Management L.P | Investments Measured at NAV
Assets, at fair value
Partnership interests	1,573	861
Total investments, at fair value	1,573	861
Total assets, at fair value	$ 1,573	$ 861