SEGMENT REPORTING (Operating Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Segment reporting
Total revenues	$ 489,866	$ 466,490	$ 1,106,033	$ 1,328,509
Operating segment
Segment reporting
Fee related earnings	167,901	142,140	468,685	397,595
Performance income—realized	123,265	7,314	319,660	111,881
Performance related compensation—realized	(97,538)	(2,042)	(252,575)	(76,488)
Realized net investment income (loss)	14,494	7,007	39,372	28,332
Realized Income (Loss)	(208,122)	(154,419)	(575,142)	(461,320)
OMG
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(41,551)	(34,061)	(114,916)	(100,716)
General, administrative and other expenses	(19,519)	(21,405)	(56,877)	(61,911)
Fee related earnings	(61,070)	(55,466)	(171,793)	(162,627)
Performance income—realized	0	0	0	0
Performance related compensation—realized	0	0	0	0
Realized net performance income	0	0	0	0
Investment income (loss)—realized	0	0	(5,698)	0
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	(503)	(11)	(588)	(13)
Interest expense	(141)	(535)	(1,262)	(1,330)
Realized net investment income (loss)	(644)	(546)	(7,548)	(1,343)
Realized Income (Loss)	(61,714)	(56,012)	(179,341)	(163,970)
Total
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(154,400)	(135,580)	(442,325)	(391,247)
General, administrative and other expenses	(43,811)	(43,067)	(125,285)	(126,083)
Fee related earnings	106,831	86,674	296,892	234,968
Performance income—realized	123,265	7,314	319,660	111,881
Performance related compensation—realized	(97,538)	(2,042)	(252,575)	(76,488)
Realized net performance income	25,727	5,272	67,085	35,393
Investment income (loss)—realized	16,837	2,176	32,065	19,716
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	3,828	8,976	17,962	23,346
Interest expense	(6,815)	(4,691)	(18,203)	(16,073)
Realized net investment income (loss)	13,850	6,461	31,824	26,989
Realized Income (Loss)	146,408	98,407	395,801	297,350
Ares Management L.P
Segment reporting
Total revenues	489,866	466,490	1,106,033	1,328,509
Compensation and benefits	(194,267)	(166,216)	(559,482)	(485,232)
General, administrative and other expenses	(69,938)	(79,385)	(190,353)	(195,988)
Ares Management L.P | Affiliated entity | ARCC
Segment reporting
Management fees, part I fees	41,643	38,786	126,872	116,336
Ares Management L.P | Operating segment
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(112,849)	(101,519)	(327,409)	(290,531)
General, administrative and other expenses	(24,292)	(21,662)	(68,408)	(64,172)
Fee related earnings	167,901	142,140	468,685	397,595
Performance income—realized	123,265	7,314	319,660	111,881
Performance related compensation—realized	(97,538)	(2,042)	(252,575)	(76,488)
Realized net performance income	25,727	5,272	67,085	35,393
Investment income (loss)—realized	16,837	2,176	37,763	19,716
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	4,331	8,987	18,550	23,359
Interest expense	(6,674)	(4,156)	(16,941)	(14,743)
Realized net investment income (loss)	14,494	7,007	39,372	28,332
Realized Income (Loss)	208,122	154,419	575,142	461,320
Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Credit Group
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(74,373)	(67,770)	(222,063)	(193,083)
General, administrative and other expenses	(13,789)	(12,789)	(41,626)	(39,675)
Fee related earnings	125,107	103,062	354,964	293,181
Performance income—realized	7,069	1,037	16,085	38,921
Performance related compensation—realized	(4,131)	(630)	(12,142)	(22,857)
Realized net performance income	2,938	407	3,943	16,064
Investment income (loss)—realized	0	114	(843)	662
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	1,962	6,964	13,166	14,500
Interest expense	(2,340)	(1,561)	(6,391)	(5,368)
Realized net investment income (loss)	(378)	5,517	5,932	9,794
Realized Income (Loss)	127,667	108,986	364,839	319,039
Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Private Equity Group
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(21,224)	(19,226)	(62,946)	(61,713)
General, administrative and other expenses	(6,002)	(5,532)	(16,083)	(14,501)
Fee related earnings	27,429	29,926	81,319	82,028
Performance income—realized	115,997	0	276,469	62,492
Performance related compensation—realized	(93,284)	0	(222,949)	(49,993)
Realized net performance income	22,713	0	53,520	12,499
Investment income (loss)—realized	16,351	47	35,866	12,013
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	1,065	435	2,364	4,047
Interest expense	(2,216)	(1,628)	(6,106)	(6,239)
Realized net investment income (loss)	15,200	(1,146)	32,124	9,821
Realized Income (Loss)	65,342	28,780	166,963	104,348
Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Real Estate Group
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(13,011)	(14,523)	(38,159)	(35,735)
General, administrative and other expenses	(2,987)	(3,341)	(9,185)	(9,996)
Fee related earnings	7,794	9,152	24,831	22,386
Performance income—realized	199	6,277	27,106	10,468
Performance related compensation—realized	(123)	(1,412)	(17,484)	(3,638)
Realized net performance income	76	4,865	9,622	6,830
Investment income (loss)—realized	486	2,015	2,740	7,041
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	1,308	1,588	3,024	4,812
Interest expense	(1,389)	(967)	(3,715)	(3,136)
Realized net investment income (loss)	405	2,636	2,049	8,717
Realized Income (Loss)	8,275	16,653	36,502	37,933
Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Strategic Initiatives
Segment reporting
Compensation and benefits	(4,241)	0	(4,241)	0
General, administrative and other expenses	(1,514)	0	(1,514)	0
Fee related earnings	7,571	0	7,571	0
Performance income—realized	0	0	0	0
Performance related compensation—realized	0	0	0	0
Realized net performance income	0	0	0	0
Investment income (loss)—realized	0	0	0	0
Interest and other investment income (expense) —realized	(4)	0	(4)	0
Interest expense	(729)	0	(729)	0
Realized net investment income (loss)	(733)	0	(733)	0
Realized Income (Loss)	6,838	0	6,838	0
Management fees | OMG
Segment reporting
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Management fees | Total
Segment reporting
Total revenues	300,131	259,978	851,581	739,269
Management fees | Ares Management L.P
Segment reporting
Total revenues	292,434	251,591	823,150	714,096
Management fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment
Segment reporting
Total revenues	300,131	259,978	851,581	739,269
Management fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Credit Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	208,371	178,447	606,596	513,760
Management fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Private Equity Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	54,653	54,543	160,206	158,101
Management fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Real Estate Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	23,787	26,988	71,459	67,408
Management fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Strategic Initiatives
Segment reporting
Total revenues	13,320	0	13,320	0
Other fees | OMG
Segment reporting
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Other fees | Total
Segment reporting
Total revenues	4,911	5,343	12,921	13,029
Other fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment
Segment reporting
Total revenues	4,911	5,343	12,921	13,029
Other fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Credit Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	4,898	5,174	12,057	12,179
Other fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Private Equity Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	2	141	142	141
Other fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Real Estate Group
Segment reporting
Total revenues	5	28	716	709
Other fees | Ares Management L.P | Operating segment | Strategic Initiatives
Segment reporting
Total revenues	$ 6	$ 0	$ 6	$ 0